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Four premiers highlight OSF playbill By Amber Fossen Ashland Daily Tidings The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, entering its 68th season, will feature four world premiers along with a lineup of timeless favorites, hoping to keep audiences coming back for more. Festival officials are optimistic about the 2003 season and the challenges - including the introduction of plays that are virtual unknowns, a downward spiraling economy and the potential threat of war- facing the Festival's success. With final touches and last minute details attended to, the classic "Romeo and Juliet" directed by Loretta Greco kicked off preview week Friday in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. Beginning with "Romeo and Juliet," a classic favorite with a contemporary beat, the season is set to expand its theatrical horizons. Workers construct the setting for 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. According to Amy Richard, OSF media relations manager, bringing in new blood to the stage is always a risk. "There's the challenge of getting people to think about seeing something they haven't before," Richard said. Plays new to the Shakespearean Festival include "Continental Divide" - comprised of two plays "Daughters of the Revolution" and Mothers Against" by the Pulitzer Prize-winning English playwright David Edgar; a new translation of Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" by Jerry Turner, OSF artistic director emeritus; and "Lorca in a Green Dress," by Nilo Cruz, a Cuban-American playwright. "Continental Divide" helped kick off preview week along with Noel Coward's "Present Laughter." Immediate attendance figures for the preview weekend were unavailable by press time. In addition to the challenge of enticing audiences to view new performances, OSF officials must also deal with the impact the economy has on theater patron decisions. Carol Jones, OSF box office manager, said that while membership sales are consistent with the 2002 season, it will be hard to gauge audience response. "I think that everyone feels that people are cocooning," Jones said, noting the instability of the economy and the possibility of war are making people curb future plans. "What we're seeing is people looking in the two-week range. They're not making long-term decisions. It's a fear factor." Other factors that figure into the season's success include how many plays will be performed, what theaters, and how many seats are available. Jones said there will be fewer tickets available this season due to seating configurations. "Last year, we had 50,000 more tickets (due to the opening of the New Theatre) to sell than 2001. This year, we have about 24,000 less (tickets) than the previous year," Jones said. On average, OSF sells between 380,000 to 400,000 tickets annually with more than 100,000 visitors viewing one or more plays. The 2002 season ended with an attendance of 399,609, up from the previous record-setting attendance of 380,102 in 2000. Even though attendance climbed last year, Jones is hesitant to compare it to this season's potential. "It's really how this season is running unto itself," Jones said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -